Dr. Jagdeo challenges claims of bias; says projects are being rolled out across the country for the benefit of everyone
THE People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government remains committed to its objective of enhancing infrastructure across the nation, rather than being influenced by ethnic considerations, General Secretary of the PPP, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has said.
Dr. Jagdeo, during a press conference last Thursday, addressed “baseless” claims made by known APNU+AFC affiliate and Attorney-at-law, Nigel Hughes.
The PPP General Secretary drew a stark contrast between the PPP administration’s approach to development and that of the previous APNU-led government.
Dr Jagdeo said that Hughes, in a social media post, had critiqued the allocation of infrastructural projects in Region Five. Hughes had questioned the distribution of roads between African and Indian communities in the region.
“Unlike the APNU-led government, our policies are driven by the need to improve infrastructure throughout the nation, without any influence of ethnic considerations.
“The issue is that we don’t do the ethnic count when we decide on capital works. We have made it clear we are fixing all the roads, community roads in the entire country, particularly along the Coast,” the General Secretary said in response to Hughes’ claims.
Dr. Jagdeo provided tangible evidence of the PPP government’s commitment to equitable infrastructural development.
He pointed to specific instances where substantial improvements were made in both Afro-Guyanese and Indo-Guyanese communities, such as Enterprise, Foulis, and Melanie.
“We are doing roads in Indo-Guyanese communities, in large numbers, and in Afro-Guyanese communities,” he added.
To illustrate the government’s commitment to equitable development, Dr. Jagdeo cited tangible examples from Afro-Guyanese and Indo-Guyanese communities.
Dr. Jagdeo said; “When the ministers visit, the President visits, or even without anyone visiting, we are doing these roads because the idea is that we will fix every single road that needs fixing, and we are at it.”

He backed his remarks with facts, noting: “We have done over 2,500 roads since we got into office and another 800 are scheduled to go to tender now on the east coast [of Demerara]… 300 roads that we are doing in Berbice, 26 are going to be done in New Amsterdam and just earlier this year, we did 24 at a total cost of about $1.7 billion.
“So that’s 50 roads in New Amsterdam itself that will be done this year. We are spending 1.6 billion dollars in Linden, so just imagine how many roads would be done there probably, another 40 roads in Linden,” he said.
Dr. Jagdeo went on to challenge Hughes’ accusations and added that it was imperative to consider the overall development plans for each region.
“If you go to Linden and say, let me see Region 10 budget, how many are being done in Indian communities, your conclusion would be no, none, because it’s mainly in Linden. So, this is what they do often and his argument about ethnic discrimination is hollow; it can be disproved easily,” he said.
Dr. Jagdeo said that in the hinterland regions, $6.5 billion will be spent on roads this year.
Shifting his focus to address the larger issue at hand, he addressed the perception that certain groups, including PPP supporters, Indo-Guyanese, Amerindians, and those of mixed heritage, were being marginalised when it came to government contracts and infrastructure projects under the APNU+AFC government.
He said: “The irony of this is that it seems as though if you’re PPP or Indo-Guyanese or Amerindian or mixed people, then you don’t have a right to have contracts or roads or anything else.
The General Secretary did not mince words when he accused the APNU of pursuing a “racist policy.”
He highlighted the contradiction of APNU members accusing others of racism while allegedly practising and perpetuating racism themselves.
The General Secretary, however, said that he welcomes political discourse firmly grounded in facts and evidence, and added that the PPP has “no interest in talking about lies where there is no factual basis for assertions.”